JU 


-A.MENDMENT 

To  Senate  Bill  (S.  129)  to  provide  for  the  employment  of  free 
negroes  and  slaves  to  work  upon  fortifications,  and  to 
perform  other  labor  connected  with  the  de- 
fences of  the  country. 

The  Committee  recommend  the  following  amendments: 

1  Strike  out  in  the  5th,  6th  and  7th  lines,  2d  Section,  the  words 

2  "not  to  exceed  thirty  thousand  in  the  States  east  of  the  Missis- 

3  sippi  river,  and  ten  thousand  in  the  States  west  of  the  Missis- 

4  sippi  river." 

1  Insert  in  the  10th  line  2d  Section,  after  "upon,"  the  words 

2  "not  to  exceed  eighteen  dollars  ($18)  per  month." 

1  Strike  out  in  the  7th,  8th,  9th  and  10th  lines,  Section  3d,  the 

2  words  "not  at  any  time  to  exceed  thirty  thousand  in  the  States 

3  east  of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  ten  thousand  in  the  States 

4  west  of  the  Mississippi  river." 

1  Strike  out  in  the  4th  Section,  the  words  beginning  with  "but 

2  when  the  slaves,"  in  the  13th  line,  and  ending  with  "states,"  in 

3  l9th  line,  and  insert, 

4  "But  no  such  slaves  shall  be  taken  from  any  owner  or  estate 

5  when  one-half  of  the  niale  slaves  between  the  ages  of  eighteen 

6  and  forty-five,  belong  to  such  owner  or  estate,  shall  have  ab- 

7  sconded  to  the  enemy  or  been  abducted  by  them." 


2 

1  Strike  out  the  last  proviso  in  the  4th  Section,  beginning  with 

2  the  27th  line,  and  insert : 

3  ^'Provided,  The  Secretary  of  War  shall  be  authorized  to  ex- 

4  empt  from  the  operations  of  this  Act,  any  county,  parish  or  dis- 

5  trict,  or  parts  thereof,  in  which  he  may  be  satisfied  that  the 

6  labor  tf  the  slaves  therein  is  indispensable  to  the  production  of 

7  grain,  and  provisions  for  the  support  of  soldiers'  families  and 

8  non-producers  in  such  county,  parish  or  district ;  and  the  Sec- 

9  retary  of  War  may  exempt  from  impressment,  slvaves  necessa- 

10  rily  employed  on  works  of  internal  improvement  of  importance 

11  to  the  common  defence.     But  nothing  contained  in  this  pro- 

12  viso  to  diminish  the  quota  of  slaves  in  any  State  authorized  to 

13  be  impressed  under  the  provisions  of  this  Act." 

1  Insert  after  Secion  4  : 

2  "Sec.  5.  If  any  slave  is  now  held  for  service  who  is  not  lia- 

3  ble  thereto  under  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  such  slave  shall  be 

4  forthwith  returned  to  the  owner  on  demand  and  proof  of  the 

5  fact." 

1  Insert  after  the  last  Section : 

2  "Sec.    8.   No    slaves  shall  be  hereafter    impressed  except  in 

3  pursuance  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  and  any  officer  who 

4  n-ay  violate  the  provisions  thereof,  shall  be  court  martialed 

5  and  on  conviction  cashiered." 


Oy,4, 


